Greater share of Wisconsin incomes going to health care

Wisconsin residents will spend more money on health care next year than ever before.

A new report from Families USA shows Wisconsinites are spending more of their pre-tax income on health care. The group projects that over 1.2 million Wisconsin residents will spend at least 10-percent of their pre-tax income on health-related expenses in 2008. Director Ron Pollack says that's almost a quarter of the state's population under the age of 65. As costs continue to rise, Pollack says more of us will feel the financial pinch.

Pollack says the price of coverage is climbing, and it's not just the uninsured who are paying more either. The study shows nearly 90 percent of those identified by the study already have health insurance.

Pollack says the findings clearly show we must look for ways to control the rising costs of health care.